Beware of appraisal scams.

[Matt]

If you receive offers for domains in the following format or similar and use the service, you are likely wasting money.

Hello,

Are you still interested in selling your domain name? I saw it listed for sale.

Did you get offers from other people?

I need to know your desired price. Please don't ask to make an offer. Just email the desired price.

I run a software company. We develop client-server systems and databases in Oracle for a local company. Buying and selling domain names is not my main business. Just another way to invest money and make additional income.

Best regards,
Peter Stichbury, Ph.D.
President
Back Office Net Solutions

[safesys]

The m.o. the scammer uses is to fake interest but require that you take out some kind of paid service - either an appraisal or some kind of history/theft check from companies they recommend. They then tend to list "expensive" services from well known companies and lower priced services from other "companies". They own the lower priced companies and work on the principle that price will win out.

If you pay for the service, the interest disappears and they hope you just put it down to a timewasting buyer not an orchestrated rip-off.

[Domainmaster]

Thanks for the tip, it's a shame there is so much human garbage out there. The laws of the universe will get them eventually.

[Claireb]

Hi, Matt

I am very happy to have written to you for advice about the offer I got today. So, it turned out to be our scammer!

Wouldn't you think that he would at least change his name and email as the years go by?

It is good I discovered you and this site a few months ago.

All the best,

Claire

[webviking]

Luckily, I just found and joined DomainState. Good thing I did and read your post, Matt. I just received the following email -

Hello,

Are you still interested in selling your domain name? I saw it listed for sale.

Did you get offers from other people?

I need to know your desired price. Please don't ask to make an offer. Just email the desired price.

I run a software company. We develop client-server systems and databases in Oracle for a local company. Buying and selling domain names is not my main business. Just another way to invest money and make additional income.

Best regards,
Steven Sinofsky Ph.D.
President
Back Office Engineering

----------

The guy's address is sinofsky@bonbon.net, but I'm sure that he has camouflaged himself so as not to be found. Too bad scammers and spammers aren't hunted down and arrested more. The more we complain to politicians, the more they will be.

Thanks for the warning, Matt!

Regarding domain appraisers, I've found that most appraise domains too low or too high. Can you recommend pros who appraise more accurately?

[Matt]

Originally posted by webviking
Thanks for the warning, Matt!

Regarding domain appraisers, I've found that most appraise domains too low or too high. Can you recommend pros who appraise more accurately?

Yup, that's him, glad you found the site prior to wasting your hard earned cash.

Appraising names isn't an exact science, though if the name has income and traffic stats history it becomes a little easier when appraising a price for sale to domainers. Rarely, on this board, are names appraised at end user prices.

[Matt]

http://domainstate.com/showthread.ph...threadid=53501

[msfedx]

I have been in this for about only 2 months and got one also. Thank you

[minorconcepts]

I'm new to the domain game and I'm sorry to say that I got hit by the unknown scammer as well. Same email: Are you still interested...... He said he was interested in one of my domain names WORLDOIL.US, the appraisal that I got from alldomains.com was $16,500. He did list this site as one that he thought was a quality company and then he agreed to pay for another after I said that I would stand by the one given by alldomains. His appraisal came in at $14,000 so when I said I would come in under both and sell for $13,500 suddenly he got cold feet. I wonder why? We must all learn from our mistakes and grow, God will deal with him. For everyone else let's have some fun and make some money. God Bless.

[Matt]

Originally posted by minorconcepts
I got from alldomains.com was $16,500. He did list this site as one that he thought was a quality company and then he agreed to pay for another after I said that I would stand by the one given by alldomains. His appraisal came in at $14,000 so when I said I would come in under both and sell for $13,500 suddenly he got cold feet.

It's a shame you've been conned out of your hard earned cash but you are living proof of what these scam artists are all about. If anyone had any doubts before, this warning sticky was far fetched, they should be cured now.

[spiralup]

I got one of these exact same emails today. It's also a bonbon.net email address. This time the name used is Frank Moss, PhD.

[hotelier112783]

hey guys.. whats a good place to get domains for good price....
can i get a couple of recommendation

[Domainmaster]

Hotelier, that question is really not in the right thread but there are big sales going on in the registrar/hosting companies. I've used 1and1 they sell names for 5.99 includes free privacy whois and a basic host package. I just found ipower.com they are having a sale and names can be had for 2.99 with free privacy whois but it's a bit of a pain to set up. Not much included they claim a free parking page but three bucks for a domain, you can't beat that with a stick. At least when I register dumb names it doesn't cost me as much. :-)

[sunsei21]

I have also been taken by this con artist frome bon bon .net Best regards,
Mark Fasciano Ph.D.
President
BON Engineering the email came in the same exact format i was asked to appraise
basketballtournament.net at allfordomains.com it wa appraised for just over 14,000 now he claims to want to be my "business partner" live and learn guys

[safesys]

there are many thread on this across the site, some of the others are:

http://www.domainstate.com/showthrea...threadid=15635

http://www.domainstate.com/showthrea...threadid=19749

http://www.domainstate.com/showthrea...threadid=40773